Building the scientific foundation for sound environmental decisions

1. DRAFT DRAFT Building the scientific foundation for sound environmental decisions Building the scientific foundation for sound environmental decisions Building the scientific foundation for sound environmental decisions Ecological Society of America FY 2004 OMB Submission FY 2004 OMB Submission U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development Presentation to the Ecological Vision Committee Peter W. Preuss, National Center for Environmental Research January 6, 2003 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development Presentation to the Office of Management and Budget September 24, 2002 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development Presentation to the Office of Management and Budget September 24, 2002 ESA Ecological Vision Committee

2. FRAMEWORK FOR ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT EPA Condition of Streams, Estuaries and Landscapes Assessment DESIRED ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION Restoration Diagnosis Assessment Assessment Assessment Forecasting ESA Ecological Vision Committee

3. EPA’s Goal for Ecosystem Protection Research To provide the scientific understanding to measure, model, maintain, and/or restore, at multiple scales, the integrity and sustainability of highly valued ecosystems now and in the future ESA Ecological Vision Committee

4. Factors Influencing Research Directions • Nature of environmental assessment has changed • Interdisciplinary • Focus has changed • Decreased emphasis on chemical contaminants • Nutrients and contaminants of special concern (Hg, POPs, PBTs, EDCs, etc.) • Diffuse and transboundary sources of pollutants a concern • Effects of landuse change • Regulatory climate is changing • Greater attention to socioeconomic drivers ESA Ecological Vision Committee

5. Priorities • Primary emphasis on Aquatic Resources • Strongest EPA mandates with associated legislative requirements • Terrestrial systems investigated as they impact aquatic resources • Wildlife endpoints for aquatic exposures (contaminants) • Non-target impacts of pesticides • Economic impacts and benefits ESA Ecological Vision Committee

6. Key Research Questions • Condition - What is the current ecosystem condition, what are the trends in condition, and what stressors appear to have been responsible for harm or deterioration? • Diagnosis and Forecasting - How do biological, chemical, and physical processes affect the condition of ecosystems, and how can we most accurately diagnose problems facing ecosystems and forecast future effects? ESA Ecological Vision Committee

7. Key Research Questions • Assessment - What are the relative risks posed to ecosystems by stressors alone, and in combination, now and in the future? • Protection and Restoration - How can we most effectively reduce risks to protect ecosystems and restore them once they have become degraded? ESA Ecological Vision Committee

8. Emphasis of Ecological Protection Research • Monitoring for ecosystem condition that truly reflects the need for action and the scale of the problem, the causes of harm, and the success of mitigation and restoration efforts; • Models and protocols that help diagnosis causes of degradation to ecosystems and forecast future condition, and that are appropriate to the scale of the problem; • Scientifically defensible risk assessment techniques that can accurately quantify and compare current and future risks to ecosystems; and • Restoration and protection strategies that are cost-effective and stakeholder-driven. ESA Ecological Vision Committee

9. Emerging Issues • Environmental Indicators • Total Maximum Daily Loads • Restoration • Invasive Species • Valuation of Ecosystems ESA Ecological Vision Committee

10. Emerging Issues • Environmental indicators • National Research Council • EPA Science Advisory Board • Heinz Center Report • EPA’s Report on the Environment • TMDLs • National Research Council • Waterbody Assessment: Listing and Delisting • Modeling to Support the TMDL Process • Adaptive Implementation for Impaired Waters ESA Ecological Vision Committee

11. Emerging Issues • Restoration • National Research Council • Urban Riparian Ecosystems • Wetlands • Invasive Species • Impact Assessment • Identify likely sites for invasives • Methods and tools for detecting, preventing, controlling, and eradicating aquatic invasives ESA Ecological Vision Committee

12. Emerging Issues • Socioeconomics • Socially relevant assessment endpoints • Involvement of stakeholders in decisions • Interdisciplinary Coordination • Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Benefits • Benefits difficult to quantify • Baseline difficult to define • Time frame of ecological recovery long ESA Ecological Vision Committee

13. Extramural Research • STAR Grants Solicitations (www.epa.gov/ncer) • Watershed Classification • Hazardous Algal Blooms (with NOAA, NASA, Navy, NSF) • Valuation for Environmental Policy • Computational Toxicology for EDCs • Exploratory -- Ecological Thresholds • Genomic-Based Indicators of Water Quality • Landscape Indicators of Water Quality ESA Ecological Vision Committee

14. SO… • We want to include the academic research community much more in EPA research efforts • Our research needs far exceed our capacity, both intramurally and extramurally • Need to demonstrate to decision-makers that ecological research that we do, or sponsor, will directly help EPA carry out its mission • Your help is very important ESA Ecological Vision Committee

15. THANK YOU ESA Ecological Vision Committee

16. Ecological Research • $73M Extramural Resources • $23M STAR Grants • 565 FTE • ~30% of FY 03 ORD Budget ESA Ecological Vision Committee

17. Factors Influencing Research Directions • Nature of environmental assessment is changing • Single investigator  Multiple investigators • Single disciplines  Multi-disciplinary • Single stressors  Multiple stressors • Single receptors  Multiple receptors • Site specific  Regional/watershed scope • Need for documentation of economic benefits ESA Ecological Vision Committee

18. Outreach and Education • Post-Doc Program • 150 Term FTE • Fellowships • Minority Institutions • STAR Fellowships (?) • AAAS Fellows • NAS Associates ESA Ecological Vision Committee

19. Ecological Condition • National Coastal Assessment • Western Pilot • Midwest/Large Rivers • EMAP Bioassessment Program • REMAP ESA Ecological Vision Committee

20. Diagnosis and Forecasting • Exposure Indicators • Landscape Sciences • Processes and Modeling • Ecological forecasting in watersheds • Multimedia Integrated Modeling ESA Ecological Vision Committee

21. Assessment • Regional Vulnerability Assessment (ReVA) Project • Watershed risk assessments • Ecological risk assessment guidance ESA Ecological Vision Committee

22. Minebank Run Study Area Well Transects Restoration • Riparian zone restoration in urban ecosystems ESA Ecological Vision Committee